The Press., 1887-03-17
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w hen first it was announced that steps were to be taken towards forming a grange in this place, the possibilities for practical and valuable work which such an association might accomplish, or at least encourage, presented themselves to my mind, and questions came rapidly follow ling-will the grange take up its legitimate ,work, or will it dawdle away its time and fritter away its opportunities, being and doing but little of what it ought and might for this town and all the surround ing onesP Primarily, I suppose the ob- ject of the grange is to promote intelligent intercourse among those interested in the products of the soil, and in the best means and methods for increasing the productive ness and wealth of the husbandman's pos sessions. There is one question in this place, which, in the opinion of many, af- fects the value of the farms in Stafford, and will affect them more than score of creameries, and that is-roads. At first, my dear granger, it may impress you as a trivial matter, and about the last thing to be thought of. Could you estimate &C., curately and quickly the cost to the farm CTS of this town of poor roads the figures would so appal you that your hair would rise from your scalp and stand on end un- til every hay-seed therein had broken from it's moorings With such an abundance of the best material in the world for road bed, and with roads that never average more than three months in each year of fit and proper condition for travel-one of those being in the early winter, when na- ture has excluded man from the field, and, as though to learn him lesson, makes be- fore his eyes a road hard as flint, smooth as floor, relief to the poor bedrageled kna ~e Ax~k e., okaV.a
 and of disgust to the waiting blacksmiths with mud and ruts in the spring, wal lowing sand, fiery dust and pumping stones in the summer, and ruts and mud in the fall, what wonder is it that the farmer throws up in disgust, abandons the farm to white birches and woodchucks, and moves into the village, that he may be
 uear civilization? ..r..-
 Snpposing all these conditions changed, imagine good hard, smooth roads running back into the country for three to five miles in every direction from the Springs, how quickly some of the now almos, worthless farms would be picked up, how rapidly changes would take place in the appearance and wealth of our God-for- saken back country. Farms would ad- vance in value, the wealth of the town be increased and its stability greatly insured. And why? Simply because every farmer would be miles nearer market and the tide of life. Hts load to market could be in- creased, his trips multiplied his teams less strained would cost less to keep, and would produce him better results his highway taxes, in the form of repairs on racked, bruised, broken wagons, harness, etc., would be lessened, and the time to the village being shortened and farm ex- penses lessened, the farm would have less needless draughts on his resources, hence more to use for the advancement of his material prosperity. Not the farmers alone would feel the benefits of the change, but the village people, everyone, would derive benefit in many ways; the mer- chant would, there is no end to the subject. Give the matter due considera- tion, members of the grange ponder it, discuss it, discuss it in all fairness, not in the light of the cost and profit for this year, but for the benefits for years to come, bearing in mind that concentrated and or ganized efforts will produce marvellous results, and no town needs such results more than does this town of Stafford.
 AN Ex-FARNfER.
 Stafford cprin0a Conn